On the evening of December 31, 2010, as I walked out of the Liberty Bowl, it began to rain. I sought shelter under a tent to wait out the sudden downpour and thought about the game I had just seen the Dawgs lose to the University of Central Florida Knights. And I wondered how in the world we ever got to where we were.

“There’s reasons why we ended up the way we did,” Richt said. “We’ve got to make changes. We’ve got to make sure that doesn’t happen again in the future. When you start saying ‘change,’ that doesn’t necessarily mean personnel… It’s more of how we go about our business. We’re going to improve. We’re going to get Georgia where it belongs.”

I was worried. I knew what was coming and I dreaded it. And it was as if the weather was playing along, crying for me and them Dawgs. No, actually, after the way we played that game in the Liberty Bowl, we didn’t deserve any sympathy. And Coach Richt was right. Things had to change.

From this point on we start the journey… 2011 Either your in or your out. You can't be half hearted to be on the team of 2011. NEVER AGAIN

“I don’t know if you’d call that the straw that broke the camel’s back or that last spark that lit the fire that got things moving around here,” tight end Aron White said. “It was definitely time for a change. … It definitely got us going. It definitely lit a fire under us and got us to working and pushing.”

And now look at us. A year later and a completely different team from the one that limped out of Memphis and back home to Athens. As I think back on that night a year ago and I remember that hard rain that fell after the game, I’ve come to realize that it was a cleansing rain. And I’m glad Memphis and the Liberty Bowl happened. Because it precipitated a change within the program that we all love. A change that we can now be proud of.

“But to be the dominating player that you want at this level, when Big John goes between these lines” – Garner pointed to the field – “you want Big John. You can be Huggy Bear outside, you can be whover you want outside, but when you walk between there, you’ve gotta be that (nasty) guy, every day.”

That’s what I’m talking about. I mentioned before the season started how I’d like for our defensive players to approach their opponents. And I’m glad to read that this is the exact approach dictated to our players by our coaches.

It’s kind of like, yeah, sure, I’d love to have a beer with you after the game. But during the game, I’m going to beat the Hell out of you until they tell me to stop.

Rambo said he received a third-round grade from the NFL board, which advises underclassmen before they make their decision on whether to leave or stay. The grade clearly disappointed Rambo, who was named a first-team All-American by the AP.

Rambo mentions how this will motivate him to work even harder to attain a higher draft grade. But he doesn’t mention if this work will be in the Red and Black or in various training sessions preparing for the combine or individual team workouts. What a decision he’s facing and I’m both excited and terrified for him. But in the end, I wish Bacarri the best of luck with whatever he decides.

Orson Charles, on the other hand, really means it when he says he’s put this decision out of his mind until after the bowl game:

“I think the reason I haven’t heard from them is I told them, ‘Call me after the bowl’. I’m really focused on this bowl right now. Then I’ll talk to my family as far as what we should do and then after that.”

Switching up our visits to the two Columbias could end up being a big move. I like the idea of playing South Carolina later in the year and I predict lots of tears out of the Columbia to our east should this schedule change actually occur.

Also, it’s always nice to have that open date before the Cocktail Party. And whoever came up with scheduling Georgia Southern before Clean, Old-fashioned Hate is to be commended. I like the idea of warming up against an option offense before the annual Tech beatdown.